'Talented and popular' seven-year-old boy drowned in four-star hotel swimming pool on the first day of family holiday in the Canary Islands

Apollo Badran disappeared on first day of family holiday to Lanzarote on May 26

Seven-year-old was found at the bottom of hotel pool by off-duty police officer

Inquest heard there were no lifeguards on duty at the four-star accommodation

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A seven-year-old boy who couldn't swim drowned in a hotel pool on the first day of a family holiday to the Canary Islands.

Apollo Badran disappeared as his grandmother, aunt and siblings were getting ready to go swimming on their first morning at the H10 Lanzarote Gardens in Lanzarote.

The schoolboy was found at the bottom of the pool at the four-star hotel where no lifeguards were present, an inquest heard.

The youngster, from Southsea, Hampshire, was pulled from the water after an off-duty British police officer spotted him.

Tragic: Seven-year-old Apollo Badran, pictured left and right near his home in Southsea before his death, drowned in a pool on the first day of his holiday

A nurse staying at the hotel gave Apollo CPR before he was taken to hospital on Lanzarote before he was later transferred to another hospital on Gran Canaria

He was placed in an induced coma but died four days later on May 30 last year.

Witnesses said staff 'didn't know what to do' when they arrived some ten minutes after Apollo was pulled out of the pool.

The child's mother Annelies Denecker told the inquest she and her partner, who were at home in Southsea at the time of the accident, received a call detailing what happened.

Devastating: Young Apollo was found by an off-duty police officer in the deep end of the swimming pool at H10 Lanzarote Gardens in Lanzarote, pictured in a promotional shot above

She said they found out what happened in a phone call from Apollo's grandmother and discovered more through witness statements from other guests.

Miss Denecker said: 'They were getting ready to go swimming. Then the next thing they knew Apollo disappeared.

'They looked in the little kid swimming pool, and could not find him. They looked in the big pool and could not find him.

'They were going to go to the reception and then all of a sudden they heard shouting.'

'There happened to be a lot of English guests and nurses and they started performing CPR on him.

'Talented and popular': Apollo's parents said his death had left a vacuum in their lives

'There were no lifeguards to be seen. They finally arrived 10 minutes later and they did not quite know what to do - that is what came back from most reports.'

His mother added: 'Apollo had not learnt how to swim.'

A post-mortem examination in the UK found that Apollo died of cardiac arrest caused by restricted oxygen supply to his brain.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner David Horsley said the information from the Spanish authorities was 'sketchy'.

He was a happy, kind boy with the most incredible smile and a wonderful brother to Eva and Oscar and a son to us both

He said: 'The most feasible explanation is that this is some sort dreadful accident that has happened. He has gone into the water. Suddenly, he has not been seen.

'There were supposed to be lifeguards there that weren't there. That is a matter for the Spanish authorities to taken criminal action if that is a criminal act in Spain.

'If they were meant to be there it's tragic they weren't as it could have reversed the situation.'

The child's parents said in a statement after the inquest: 'Losing Apollo has left a permanent vacuum in all our lives. He was a happy, kind boy with the most incredible smile and a wonderful brother to Eva and Oscar and a son to us both.

'He was always trying to make his friends laugh - and usually succeeded. He was determined, a quick learner, wonderfully creative, and enjoyed sport, being healthy, and strong.

'We are very grateful to our Southsea community, church, and school who came together at such a difficult time, and continue to support us still.

'We have been touched by the many messages, kind words, and memories of Apollo which people have shared and these are a great source of comfort.

'The time we had with Apollo was far too short but we will always treasure the memories of our talented, witty, and cuddly boy.'